Unconventional Family
by Bleach-ed-Na-tsu
Summary: After turning eighteen, Natsume moves to a small house in the forest. Once they realise he's moved to a place free of other humans, the four 'child' spirits who have come to care for Natsume like a parent decide that they can't stand being lonely any more. Full summary inside. Family fluff. Kitsune, Kai, Tama, and Kirinoha.


**Yes, yes; this is yet **_**another**_** story in my arsenal... well... I want to expand my field. Besides, Natsume Yuujonchou is just too good not to write something about. This is going to be similar to DoF for anyone who follows my KHR stories, except in chronological order. This is set in the same Universe, three years later.**

**This idea was actually inspired/given to me by SkyGem and now and then she will co-author with me. Not too often, but enough to make this really interesting, eh?**

* * *

Summary: After turning eighteen, Natsume realises that staying with Touko-san and Shigeru-san isn't the smartest or safest thing to do anymore, so moves to a small house in the forest. Once they realise he's moved to a place free of other humans, the four 'child' spirits who have come to care for Natsume like a parent decide that they can't stand being lonely any more. Intended Drabble-series, family-fluff. Kitsune, Kai, Tama, and Kirinoha.

* * *

Unconventional Family.

House but not a Home.

* * *

Natsume always assumed that once he had turned eighteen he would leave whoever's house he was living in at the time and find a place of his own near his parents' house, or wherever he had felt the most comfortable by that time.

Never in any of his most cherished dreams did he imagine that leaving when he turned eighteen would be so difficult, and because he actually cared deeply for the people he lived with.

But that date was looming close at hand. He was turning eighteen in less than a month. It was strange really, how much you can learn in three years if you were in a loving home. One thing is how powerful affection and protectiveness truly are. Three years made Natsume realise something.

It wasn't safe for him to stay with Shigeru-san or Touko-san anymore, no matter how much he wanted to.

Even though things had settled down since he first moved in with the couple, youkai still appeared out of nowhere, and many times the more vicious beings came close to harming either Touko-san or damaging the home. Natsume was quick to act, but more than once he heard the couple whispering about the house being haunted or the area being unsafe.

Natsume sighed as he stroked Nyanko with one hand, and flipped through the thinned, but still substantial yuujinchou. He had a long way to go, and there was no telling how many of the 'friends' would hold a grudge for having their names taken, even with the gracious, unselfishness that Natsume showed by returning the name with no strings attached. He knew he couldn't keep endangering Touko-san and Shigeru-san with that. He had to move.

But he really didn't want to.

Natsume sighed again, watching as names flashed before his eyes. He could read them all, despite never studying youkai language, it was intriguing, but another reminder that he wasn't exactly normal.

"You don't have to go far you know, Natsume." The dog-cat-youkai hummed as Natsume's fingers brushed through his fur. "You only want to keep them safe. That doesn't mean cutting them off completely."

Natsume was surprised for a moment, "I didn't know you cared so much, Nyanko-sensei."

But that didn't last long-

"I don't, idiot." The cat-dog huffed. "I just don't trust you're cooking. If we go too far away I won't get to eat Touko-san's delicious food."

-because the cat opened his fat mouth.

"You stupid cat!" with a punch to the head and a huff, Natsume walked downstairs, hoping to go for a walk and think things out.

Of course, with a quick _'see you later'_ called into the house he was walking the familiar street towards the forest where many of the youkai lived. It was silent in the area, but there was that tell-tale thrum of energy that poured out of the land where youkai lived. It was a heavy, suppressive energy, but Natsume thrived on it.

As he walked down a little path into the woods, Natsume noticed that for once, he hadn't been up this way before. The path was bare beaten but overgrown. Beautiful wildflowers swayed in the breeze and weed littered the stones of what Natsume could assume was a lovely narrow stairway up the mountain.

When he reached the top, Natsume was more than a little surprised to find a small house. It was all shuttered up, the windows were closed up, the paint peeling in places, and there were lots of branches and leaves piling up on the roof. But, it was a lovely little home.

"Did you know this was here, Nyanko-sensei?" The sandy-teen asked to the cat in his arms

Just as Natsume was about to explore, the rustling of the trees to his left made him jump, out of the wooded area strode an older man, probably a few years older than Shigeru-san.

"Oh! My boy, what are you doing so far up here?"

Natsume hadn't expected there to be a human in that place. It just didn't seem like the place where humans would live; there were too many youkai around, Natsume could almost hear their whispers. It was perfect for someone like Natsume, but any normal human would probably find the place terrifying.

"I'm sorry for intruding; I was just taking a walk and stumbled upon this place. My name is Natsume." He bowed slightly, keeping his eyes on the dark-eyes man.

"Oh it's no problem Natsume-kun. I just wasn't expecting anyone here; it's been a while since I saw anyone around this are." The man bowed back and smiled gently in a way that made Natsume assume the man was a grandfather.

Itou-san and Natsume spoke for a little while longer before the elderly man had to be on his way. Natsume smiled and thanked him for his time before making his way slowly down the little path.

"Nyanko-sensei, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked softly, looking over his shoulder at the path he had just walked.  
"What would I know about the way you think, Natsume?" but the cat was smirking, knowing perfectly well what his 'ward' was thinking.

Natsume did the same thing for a few days, and on those days, walking up the path to speak to the grey-haired Itou-san he would gather information about the run-down house. The price, the rent, how dilapidated it really was. As well as why it was abandoned in the first place.

When he had gathered all the information he spread it out in his room, ready to compile it and talk it through with his youkai protector before confronting the two people who were beginning to mean the world to him.

The rent was cheap, and the house not too worse for wear. The landlord, Itou-san, owned it but never lived in it and was looking for a tenant to move in before the abandonment made the house unliveable. He would take anyone willing to look after the house at that point, including students with a rent low enough that Natsume's account would barely feel it. Especially when his inheritance and part-time job were factored in.

It really was the perfect house. Up a small forest path, somewhat overgrown but nothing too drastic, not even a ten minute walk from the Fujiwara home, it was far enough away to be safe, and close enough to go home whenever he wanted. It sat on a good sized, empty plot of land where wild flowers grew rampant and the scent of nature was everywhere. It was quiet and peaceful.

The only thing that made it not so perfect was the rumours surrounding it.

Apparently it was infested with youkai, and that was the sole reason for its abandonment. No person could deal with the moving objects, the chatter, or the strange happenings and lights that would glow in the forest. Of course, that didn't bother Natsume anyway.

"It's not really infested with youkai." Nyanko yawned out; he had heard Natsume mumbling about youkai and figured he'd show his superior information gathering and help the boy. "Youkai live all around it, but none ever enter the house, it's no fun to haunt an abandoned house."

Natsume didn't look convinced by his 'protector's' assurance. "Does that mean that once I move in they'll all start haunting me?"

Nyanko-sensei snorted before rolling over in the beam of sunlight he was napping in. "Of course not, fool. I'm there to make you barriers; the low-life youkai who would haunt you won't be able to get in."

Natsume wasn't really convinced, especially considering the amount of time the youkai had entered the room they were presently in, but the tan-haired boy could only shrug and stand to go and eat dinner.

* * *

Natsume called Touko-san and Shigeru-san to the kitchen table after dinner. He had helped Touko-san with the dishes, and had spent a little time with Shigeru-san before calling them in to the kitchen where tea was already waiting.

Sitting opposite the curious couple, Natsume took a deep, stabilizing breath before speaking. "I'm turning eighteen soon," He began. "and I think now is a good time to move into my own place."

While the couple were shocked, both speechless at the sudden decision having heard nothing about it from the boy until that moment, Natsume decided to put all the information in front of them and explain where, why, and how he was going to make it happen. Asking finally:

"I would really like you're blessing for this, Touko-san, Shigeru-san."

Touko-san looked on at Natsume with a deeply worried expression marring her lovely face. She had a hand covering her mouth and her eyebrows furrowed. Her gaze switched to her husband, and he could read the concern, and pain in her gaze. They both saw Natsume as a son, and eighteen was far too early to move out.

Shigeru-san crossed his arms over his chest and didn't bother disguising his furrowed brow. He could see the logic behind Takashi's decision, but that didn't mean he agreed with it. He could tell there was something more; there always was where Takashi was concerned.

Neither Shigeru nor Touko were ignorant, they knew the rumours surrounding the boy- every family and couple who took him in knew the stories. But they decided to give the child a chance at a normal life and a loving family. Both could see the good that love did for the boy; he flourished under affection, so Shigeru didn't understand why he felt himself a burden, and why he felt he needed to leave as soon as he was of age.

"Is this really what you want, Takashi? To leave, so soon?" Shigeru levelled his gaze with Takashi; he could see the determination in those yellow-brown eyes. The boy was stubborn; Shigeru gave him that, just like his grandmother.

"No." Natsume divulged, "But I need to do this."

"But Takashi, surely you can wait a few years, get settled in a job or university before you move you." Touko tried to persuade. "You don't need to move you so soon. We love having you here."

Natsume couldn't help but smile at the woman in that soft, kind way that had captured many a youkai heart. "Touko-san. I'm not moving out because I dislike it here," He began softly. "I love living here with you, but I feel that I need to leave now. That it's the right time."

"But Takashi-"

Shigeru sighed heavily as he cut his dear wife off mid-sentence, "Darling, look at the boy," Shigeru urged, "he isn't the young boy who arrived here at barely fifteen. He's a man now and he's made his decision. You know we can't stop him once he's decided." Despite the words the aging man was smiling, as if recognising someone in Natsume.

Touko sighed, knowing her husband was right. "I expect you to visit at least twice a week when you're not working," She urged, "and come for dinner as often as you can. You're skinny enough already, I can't have you wasting away."

Touko fussed over Natsume for a long while longer, much to Shigeru and Natsume's amusement. But all of the woman's demands were easy for Natsume to keep; in fact he was pleased to go above and beyond her demands. He wasn't moving because he wanted to, simply out of necessity.

From there the plans moved rapidly, the Fujiwaras worked with Natsume to arrange the house and to get as many appliances and necessities the young man would need. They helped Natsume figure out a budget, and made a schedule for him to visit.

He wouldn't be able to explain it to anyone, not even himself really, why he was warm and why he smiled so openly during the month between his decision and his move out of the Fujiwara home. All Natsume knew was that he loved Shigeru-san and Touko-san. Leaving them was bittersweet, but it was worth it to keep the coupe safe and well for as long as possible.

On the day that Natsume was to move all his possessions were packed into boxes, his old futon was packed back into the closet and the book of friends tucked securely into his little pack strapped around his waist.

Touko-san spent the day cleaning the small, two bedrooms home, while Shigeru-san and Natsume spent the day going back and forth between the two houses, moving furniture and boxes of possessions. It was a tiring day, but by the evening everything was at least moved in.

Touko-san insisted on cooking the first meal in the home, and Natsume neither had the energy nor the heart to refuse the woman, and instead the four of them- including Nyanko-sensei- enjoyed a wonderful, warm meal before spending a few hours in Natsume's little living room talking about lots of nonsense and memories.

By the evening, once Shigeru-san and Touko-san were gone, Takashi was still nowhere near settled in. His small amount of furniture didn't really seem to fit the rooms right, the spare bedroom- what would become his study- was filled with boxes, and his kitchen was in disarray. Truthfully, Natsume felt a little lonely in the house. Sure, Nyanko-sensei was there, and various youkai throughout the day, some helping him and others, like Hinoe, hindering him. But without the constant presence of Touko-san or Shigeru-san there was something missing in his life.

He made a note to himself to visit them within the next few days. He missed them already.

It was late at night finally; Natsume was sitting in the living room with the radio playing, stoking Nyanko who slept on his lap, and trying to figure out what to do with the small home next. Though, his thoughts were interrupted when the door was knocked and his name called softly.

Getting up, curious as to what Youkai- it was _obviously _going to be a youkai- would call on him so late and use the front door. What he wasn't expecting was for four children to be standing on his doorstep, shivering, embarrassed, but all the same looking beyond excited to see him.

"Kitsune, Kirinoha, Kai, and is that Tama? What are you all doing here?"

He ushered the children into his home without a second thought, even the mountain god who he wasn't aware had even forgiven him yet. Sitting them in the living room, a blanket thrown over them to stop their shivering, he entered the kitchen to make some tea.

"So, what are you doing here so late at night?" Natsume began when all the child-youkai were seated and drinking tea. "And together too, I didn't think you knew each other?"

"Ung!" Sound of struggle made Natsume pause from drinking his tea to look at the youkai child that was struggling within Kitsune's arms.

Of course he knew who the child was, but Tama was so much bigger than Natsume remembered. The small tatsumi youkai looked about three years old as he struggled in Kitsune's arms, however it was obvious that the child was not developed in the same way a human child would be. Tama obviously couldn't speak, but from Kitsune's struggle he was strong, and Natsume knew from experience that Tama could walk and understand incredibly well, though acting on that understanding was still like most children.

He smiled indulgently, and when the young, horned youkai spotted that look he giggled, reaching out for the teen who he was sure was his one and only parent. Other than Nyanko, of course. Natsume picked the child up under his arms, instinctively placing him on his hip and holding him close while the child hugged him, babbling in happy child-noises. That caused Natsume to smile even more.

"So, why are you all here?" Natsume's voice was soft, as usual. He wouldn't tell them, but he was glad they were there. Once the surprise wore off Natsume fell into a comfortable kind of rut, the four children meant a lot to him, for different reasons. It was nice to have that familiarity in his new house.

"W-well," Kitsune started, wringing his kimono in a nervous fashion, without Tama in his arms he wasn't sure what to do. "we heard that Natsume wasn't living with the humans anymore, and well..."

Natsume stopped bouncing Tama for a moment to watch the fidgeting fox with intrigue; his eyes softened a little as he looked over the young kit. The affection in the child's voice when he said Natsume's name didn't go unnoticed. In fact it gave Natsume that little sting of pride.

"W-we were hoping, Natsume-nii-chan, that... well, you see..." Kirinoha's eyes seemed to plead with Natsume as the sandy teen watched on with more than a little confusion. Especially when you factor in the honorific the boy-youkai had used.

"We want to stay with you!" Kai's outburst sent even Natsume jumping slightly, his usually small eyes wide with shock.

Surprisingly, it was the suddenly awake Nyanko-sensei who reacted first. "Damn Kids, as if Natsume has the time to deal with any of you!" of course, Natsume didn't take too fondly to that.

"Sensei! Don't be so harsh on them!"

As per usual, Natsume and Nyako-sensei ended up in a heated debate. They battled the idea back and forth, Natsume's naturally protective side acting in favour of the children staying, even if he hadn't yet said that the children could stay, Nyanko-sensei of course argued the opposite, completely against any more troublesome youkai getting in between him and the book of friends. There was more to it, but he didn't have to admit that his own attention was already divided enough between Natsume's youkai visitors, he didn't need more people taking his time away from Natsume.

With a heavy sigh, Natsume released Tama with one hand and held it up to stop Nyanko-sensei's latest tirade.

"That's enough for tonight, Nyanko-sensei." He sighed, rocking the flagging Tama again. "It's getting late," he turned to the three remaining children, each looking a degree more hopeful than the last. "I'll let you stay here tonight because of how late it is. We'll discuss anything else tomorrow. Is that okay?"

The three older children looked on with grins as they all got up and hugged Natsume, bickering over who sat in his lap and why Tama got all the attention. Natsume simple laughed at their antics, picking Nyanko-sensei up before leading all the children to his room, the only one with a futon to sleep on.

_Hopefully,_ he thought to himself, _I can sort this out in the morning and figure out why they'd want to stay with me._

* * *

**So there you have it! The prologue/chapter 1 of Unconventional family. I hope everyone was in-character enough for you and that you look forward to more in the future! I'll have the first chapter**

**Thank you for reading,**

**~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3**


End file.
